Villa Park begins mobile payment program for Metra parking

VILLA PARK – A new program began Monday at the south Metra parking lot in Villa Park, which allows train commuters to pay for parking using their cell phones.

PassportParking is the service provider, and train riders can create accounts with the organization using the PassportParking Mobile Pay app or using a voice system. After creating accounts, riders can pay to park by using the mobile payment option, by calling a toll-free number or by texting their parking information to the provider. Commuters can also request alerts and reminders 15 minutes before their parking session expires.

"The Village of Villa Park has been looking for a program like this to enhance the services offered to Villa Park commuters," said Chief Robert Pavelchik of the Villa Park Police Department. "The results of a recently conducted survey overwhelming showed that users were looking for an easier way to pay for utilization of the Metra lot."

This new program will only be offered in the south parking lot and a 25-cent convenience fee is added to parking rates to cover the cost of the program.